


On Solid Ground

by ThereIsNoTragedyInThat



Series: 30 Days of Whump-Ironstrange Edition [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: 30 Day Whump Prompt Challenge, Boys In Love, Cuddling & Snuggling, Don't copy to another site, Drabble, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Nightmares, Protective Tony Stark, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-30
Updated: 2019-07-30
Packaged: 2020-07-27 10:03:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20044177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThereIsNoTragedyInThat/pseuds/ThereIsNoTragedyInThat
Summary: Stephen has an unsettling nightmare and Tony is there to help.Day 3: Nightmare





	On Solid Ground

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt list can be found in the first story.
> 
> Note: These will not be daily uploads, just whenever inspiration strikes.
> 
> Day 3: Nightmare

Stephen woke with short gasp and the strange feeling of falling, like he’d been flung from a great height with no clue whether or not he’d land in a safe space. He did of course. Stephen sat up slowly, grimacing at the frigid sheen of sweat coating his skin and the trembles sliding through his body.

Next to him, Tony slept, though there was a nearly silent huff when Stephen had moved away. He stared down at his lover, blinking away the tears in his eyes and trying rather desperately to remember what the hell had caused this reaction.

Obviously, he’d had a nightmare. The problem was that he couldn’t remember what it had been about at all. Usually, his subconscious liked to pull up the usual hauntings; Dormammu, the car crash, even Donna from time to time. None of those had been featured, that much he knew for certain.

Typically, Stephen preferred to handle his nightmares on his own. He had never been one to call out in his sleep or linger on whatever horrors had been conjured. In fact, Stephen would say he’d become an expert at pushing it all away and even allowing himself to fall back asleep.

Something felt different tonight.

Stephen felt…empty. There was a pit in his stomach and the shadows in the room were just a little too ominous for comfort. He bit his lip, trying to remind himself he was being silly, but it felt wrong, like something important had slipped from his grasp and the sense of doom hanging over his head was making him want to keep crying.

“Tony?” the whispered croak surprised him. He never woke Tony unless it was by accident or he had somehow figured out Stephen was having a nightmare and woke of his own volition.

Tonight, however, he wanted him, and he suddenly didn’t care about the vulnerability or even that Tony had a meeting in the morning. He wanted to hear his voice droning about some new project or even just the familiarity of his arms.

“Tony.”

His entire body tensed, locking down in preparation for a fight. A deep inhale and then lids were pulling back and Stephen wished it wasn’t too dark to see the warmth of his brown eyes.

“Stephen?” the inquiry was mumbled but before Stephen could reply, Tony was sitting up and blinking rapidly, “What’s wrong? What happened?”

“Nothing,” he said automatically. It really was nothing. They weren’t under attack, there was no bodily harm being done. He suddenly felt quite foolish.

“You’re shaking,” Tony commented and then hands were reaching for him and pulling him close against his bare chest. The skin to skin contact made it easier to breathe and Stephen found himself pressing closer, hiding his face and his tears in Tony’s neck. “Tell me what’s happening?”

The question, a little unsteady, no doubt from this unprecedented situation, was nevertheless sincere, eager to help. Just like Tony when someone he loved wasn’t well, no matter what the situation was.

“I’m ok,” Stephen whispered. If he said it enough, he would be, a fact he knew from experience.

There was a long pause and then, “alright. Ok. Just breathe, easy does it. Are you cold?”

Stephen felt himself still at the words. He had expected questions, insistence, that unrelenting curiosity but instead of pushing like Tony so often would, he was just…letting it go. Stephen could have sobbed with relief.

“A little,” he answered the last question instead, needing something to focus on besides the way his heart skipped a beat.

Tony reached down to tug the comforter back up and over Stephen’s shoulders and already the sweaty chill had begun to recede between that and his lover’s body heat. Hands rubbed gently at his back, trying to sooth him further and Stephen let his eyes slide closed.

He wasn’t trying to fall asleep, not yet. Stephen wanted to remember, needed to know what mysterious thing had affected him so badly. Still, nothing came to him and Stephen sighed, both irritated and shaken.

“Want to talk about it?”

Stephen opened his eyes at that. He couldn’t talk about something he didn’t know, and he didn’t think he would anyway. Tony and him, they weren’t that type. They offered reassuring words and touches all day but when it came down to the meat of a problem like this…well sometimes it was better not saying anything. Stephen didn’t believe in the whole build-up issue, no, sometimes not saying it, kept it from being real.

“No.”

A hand ran through his sweaty hair. Acceptance. Understanding.

“Do you want to get up or stay here?”

“Here.”

Another pause, this one rife with discontent, “alright Stephen. I’m going to need more then one syllable answers, or I’ll be calling the babysitter.”

It was an idle threat and they both knew it, but this was Tony telling him he was worried, as he had every right to be. Wong wouldn’t be helpful anyway, while except for those teas that could knock out a heard of elephants with one sip.

Stephen inhaled slowly, noted how he seemed to no longer be sweating and the trembles in his body had disappeared. Even the darkness of the room wasn’t so unsettling. Most importantly, however, was the familiar ache of his hands, no longer hidden behind the rush of adrenalin.

He was ok.

“I’m sorry,” Stephen began. “I can’t even remember what the dream was, but I couldn’t focus. We can try to go back to bed now.”

The arms around him squeezed a bit tighter, “alright. Like this though.”

Strong hands carefully guided Stephen back to laying on his back and Stephen watched dubiously as Tony arranged the blankets over them. Stephen thought he could spot a small smile, despite the dark.

“Hands,” he commanded softly.

Stephen carefully laid them on his stomach, one on top of the other where no sudden movements should disturb them. Tony then laid down beside him, pressing close to his side and laying his head on his Stephen’s shoulder. One arm came up to rest over his chest, well away from his hands, and his short legs entangled themselves with Stephen’s longer ones.

It would be nice to be able to wrap his arms around Tony but doing that bore the risk of him turning over in the night and squishing Stephen’s hand. This would have to do, and it would. Tony’s protective frame surrounded him, and his breath ghosted steadily against Stephen’s throat, his entire presence promising security.

“Better?”

Stephen nodded, trusting Tony to feel the movement and pressed a kiss to his head.

Much better.


End file.
